Reference: FISH, FISHER
American
The Hebrews have very few names of particular species of fish. Moses says in general, that all sorts of river, lake, or sea fish, which have scales and fins, may be eaten; all others shall be to the Hebrews an abomination, Le 11:9-12; De 14:9-10. The Nile had an early celebrity, which it still retains, for the abundance and excellence of its fish, Ex 7:18-21; Nu 11:5. The Sea of Tiberias also still abounds in fish, Lu 5:5; Joh 21:6-11. They were a common article of food among the Jews, Mt 7:10, and were obtained from the Mediterranean, Ne 13:16, and from the Jordan. They were caught with hooks, Am 4:2, spears, Job 41:7, and nets, Isa 19:8-10. The "great fish," Jon 1:17, which swallowed Jonah, may have been of the shark genus, as this animal is common in the Mediterranean. The original word, both in Hebrew and Greek, Mt 12:40, means a fish, and not specifically a "whale." See WHALE. Fishermen are often spoken of in the Bible, and a large proportion of the twelve apostles of our Lord were of that occupation. Christ made them "fishers of men," Mt 4:18-22.
The early Christians, in times of persecution, used to engrave the form of a fish on their medals, seals, and tombs, as a tacit confession of their faith; as the five letters of the Greek word for fish are the initial letters of five words, signifying "Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior." This symbol has thus become the subject of a superstitious regard.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink: so that it shall grieve the Egyptians to drink of the water of the river.'" And the LORD spake unto Moses, "Say unto Aaron, 'Take thy staff and stretch out thine hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, rivers, ponds and all pools of water, that they may be blood, and that there may be blood in all the land of Egypt: both in vessels of wood and also of stone.'" read more. And Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD commanded. And he lift up the staff and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the river, turned into blood. And the fish that was in the river died, and the river stank: so that the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river. And there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
"'These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, seas and rivers, that shall ye eat. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas and rivers of all that move and live in the waters, shall ye abhor. read more. See that ye eat not of their flesh, and also that ye abhor their carcasses: for all that have no fins nor scales in the waters, shall be abomination unto you.
We remember the fish which we should eat in Egypt for nought, and of the cucumbers and melons, leeks, onions and garlic.
These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: All that have fins and scales. And whatsoever hath not fins and scales, of that ye may not eat, for that is unclean unto you.
There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish and all manner of wares, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah and Jerusalem.
Canst thou fill the net with his skin, or the fish panner with his head?
The fishers shall mourn, all such as cast angles in the water shall complain, and they that spread their nets in the water shall be faint hearted. Such as labour upon flax and silk, shall come to poverty, and they also that weave fine works. read more. For their open works shall be even destroyed, and all they that make pounds and slues for fish shall come to naught.
Therefore the LORD hath sworn by his holiness, 'The days shall come upon you, that ye shall be lift up upon spears, and your posterity carried away upon fish hooks.
But the LORD prepared a great fish, to swallow up Jonah. And so was Jonah in the bowels of the fish three days and three nights.
As Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon which was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he said unto them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." read more. And they straightaway left their nets, and followed him. And he went forth from thence, and saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and called them. And they, without tarrying, left the ship and their father and followed him.
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
And Simon answered, and said to him, "Master, we have laboured all night, and have taken nothing. Neverthelater, at thy word I will loose forth the net."
And he said unto them, "Cast out the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find." They cast out, and anon they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Then said the disciple whom Jesus loved unto Peter, "It is the Lord." When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girded his mantle to him, for he was naked, and sprang into the sea. read more. The other disciples came by ship: For they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits; And they drew the net with fishes. As soon as they were come to land, they saw hot coals laid and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus said unto them, "Bring of the fishes which ye have now caught." Simon Peter stepped forth and drew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty three. And for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.